Paddling GlovesTom Watson reviews some general optionsfor protecting hands while out paddling:Simple neoprene, poggies, scuba gloves, etcQuick Tips for Canoe Camping TripsKevin Callan passes along some simple tricks he as learned over the years aboutcamping and paddling.. with videos too!

I just purchased a 2001 model fiberglass Capella. I'm a newbie, so I'll describe only the details I feel confident about. First, I'm 6'2, 230 lbs, and wear size 12 shoes. I don't have much room to spare in the cockpit, but I do fit. However, If my legs were any longer or quads any bigger I would not be comfortable. I look forward to learning to roll this kayak and in putting it on edge as I think it will act like an extension of my legs and hips. The finish and overall beauty of the P&H boats is much better than the other kayaks I tried at the kayak demo day. I'm a gearhead so the overall design, fit, and finish is important to me. An example of the nice detail work can be realized in the operation of the skeg. The control assembly for the skeg is really well done.

The Capella really stands out. Since I'm so new to kayaking it was hard for me to justify spending the big bucks for a f/g Capella. But, the quality that went into the boat won me over.

The seat and backrest seem comfortable, although I've only done a few two hour sessions to date. It does appear that I have a little less room in the 2001 model than the 2000 model I test paddled. On the 2000, my foot pegs still had one notch remaining forward. On the 2001, I am all the way forward on the pegs. I've emailed P&H to ask them about this. I think a smaller paddler would do fine in this kayak, you may need to pad out a few spots if you are really small. But, I have a feeling that this kayak could accomodate many different size paddlers.

I'll update this post once I am more skilled in kayaking and can give a review on handling. For the present, just know that I can not control this boat w/o the skeg down. But, thats half the fun for me. I'm looking forward to learning how to handle this boat with the skeg up.

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